'Pragathi' takes quality education to doorstep of rural students

Bright talents from rural backgrounds are being motivated to achieve set goals in their life under 'Pragathi’ -- a first-of-its kind collaboration between Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat (DKZP) and the Center for Advanced Learning (CFAL).

As many as 37 talents from 12 aided and government PU colleges in Mangaluru have been exposed to quality teaching by best teachers and study materials in the CFAL campus to realise the dream of clearing competitive examinations like JEE, CET and NEET since August.

“Many students from the Kannada medium schools in villages score 85 percent marks in the SSLC examinations but feel like a fish-out-of-water after opting for PUC science stream,” DKZP Chief Executive Officer Dr Kumara, who also had studied in Kannada medium schools, said.

The first set of PU students from villages and weaker sections of society with no means of affording special coaching worth more than Rs 1 lakh, will undergo rigorous training free of cost for next two years, the CEO said.

Elaborating on the process on how they identified 37 talents, Deputy Director of PU Education Jayanna said that CFAL conducted an entrance examination in all colleges.

He said that prior to the entrance exam, DKZP CEO had issued circulars and convened meetings with PU college principals to provide all support, including to come for invigilation at CFAL.

As many as 60 among 2,500 students were shortlisted on merit basis, he said.

“These students were asked to write an essay on why they were facing JEE Exams. Based on their essays, 37 students were shortlisted for the free coaching,” CFAL Vice Principal Gaureesh Raj said.

There were no dedicated batches as Pragathi students, along with other students, attended these special classes, he added.

Students were also exposed to one-to-one mentoring sessions to make them realise that teachers were their ‘second parent’, Gaureesh said.

These initiatives help a student from Pragathi overcome insecurities and also express their problems, he said.

“As CFAL managing director Vijay Moras believes that students from all walks of life should benefit from CFAL’s system of rigorous training, the free coaching given to Pragati students is met from CFAL’s CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) funds,” Gaureesh said

He hoped that the success of the pilot project will encourage more students from similar backgrounds to access quality teaching.